Tag Archives: Veal

Veal Piccata is classic comfort food that can be served with pasta, or with buttered noodles, or mashed potatoes. It’s made with thin veal cutlets that are first browned in butter and then simmered in a tangy, lemony sauce. Depending on how thin the veal cutlets are to start with, you can ask your butcher to flatten them for you, or you can do it yourself at home. You can also use chicken in this dish. I love flavored fresh pasta and usually use a garlic with lemon or spinach.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

8 small veal cutlets (about 2 oz. each), pounded flat

1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

2 Tablespoons olive oil

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons butter

½ cup dry sherry (see note)

1 lemon

2 Tablespoons capers

1 cup veal stock or chicken stock

2 Tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground white pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Squeeze the juice from the lemon and set the juice aside.

To flatten the cutlets: Stretch a piece of plastic wrap across your work surface, place the veal cutlets on it, and lay another piece of plastic wrap on top. Then, using a meat mallet, rolling pin or similar object, flatten the cutlets between the layers of plastic wrap until they are about ¼ inch thick.

Combine the flour, salt and pepper on a plate or in a shallow baking dish.

Heat a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat for a minute, then add the olive oil and heat for another 30 seconds or so. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté until the onion is slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Remove the onion and garlic from the pan and set them aside.

Add the butter to the pan and let it heat until it turns foamy.

Now dredge both sides of the veal cutlets in the flour mixture, shake off any excess flour and add them, one at a time, to the hot pan. Work in batches if necessary, rather than overcrowding the pan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until the cutlets are nicely browned. Remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate, covered with foil, while you make the sauce.

Add the stock, sherry, lemon juice and capers to the pan and scrape off any flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan. Then return the onion-garlic mixture to the pan and heat it through, adding a bit more oil or butter if necessary.

Return the veal to the pan, bring the liquid to a boil, then lower it to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes or until the mixture has reduced by about one-third. Add the chopped parsley just at the end of the cooking.

With a pair of tongs, remove the veal cutlets and plate them, two cutlets per person. Adjust the seasoning on the sauce with salt and lemon juice. Sauce generously and serve immediately.